1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projector apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Projector apparatuses have been proposed, each of which include a housing, and a light source device and an image projecting unit that are provided in the housing.
The light source device uses a high-output discharge lamp as a lamp for generating light.
The image projecting unit produces an image projection light beam from light generated by the light source device, and emits the image projection light beam to project an image onto a screen. The image projecting unit includes an optical modulator, such as a liquid crystal panel, for modulating the light emitted from the lamp, and various optical elements through which the light from the lamp passes.
The temperature of the light source device increases to a high temperature with light emission from the lamp, and the temperature of the image projecting unit is increased by the light received from the light source device by the optical modulator and the optical elements.
Hence, the light source device and the image projecting unit are cooled by cooling air in order to achieve stable operations and longer lives of the light source device and the image projecting unit.
Accordingly, a cooling device is provided in the projector apparatus of the related art. The cooling device guides outside air into the housing to cool the light source device and the image projecting unit, and exhausts the outside air after cooling.
As such a cooling device, a cooling device including an air inlet and an air outlet provided in a housing, a plate-shaped air filter provided near the air inlet, and a fan has been proposed.
The fan sucks outside air into the housing from the air inlet via the air filter, and exhausts the outside air from the housing through the air outlet after the outside air cools the light source device and the image projecting unit.
The air filter filters outside air to remove dust from the outside air, and thereby prevents dust from adhering to the light source device and the image projecting unit.
Unfortunately, dust accumulates on the air filter as the operating time of the cooling device elapses, and clogs the air filter eventually.
When clogging occurs, the amount of air passing through the air filter decreases, and the cooling effect is reduced. As a result, it is difficult to sufficiently cool the light source device and the image projecting unit.
For this reason, an operation of detaching a cover from the housing and replacing the air filter in the housing is performed frequently. This operation of replacing the air filter is troublesome to the user.
Accordingly, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-1152242 discloses a projector apparatus in which an air filter is wound around a supply roll and is paid out from the supply roll when used.
In this projector apparatus, a portion of the air filter clogged with adhering dust is sequentially wound around a take-up roll so that an unused portion of the air filter can be used.